Tony Blair's car dealer

by Matthew Rock - Thursday, 20th September 2007 -

If Europe's A-list want a motor, they call Clive Sutton. So what are the must-have models for the autumn season? And what are his customer service secrets?

Since he sold his franchised car dealerships for a tidy sum, luxury car dealer Clive Sutton likes to have a "customer pull" approach rather than a "product push".

As he writes (and, no, his great piece wasn't ghosted) in the October issue of Real Business, "these days I only operate at the top end of the market, predicting which new models will be hot, pre-ordering new cars and ensuring quick delivery to those who will not wait."

Among his A-list clients are the Blairs, for whom Sutton has provided several family cars, including their Chrysler Grand Voyager.

So what's hot in autumn 07, Clive?

"The new Porsche 997 turbo cabriolet and the Maserati GranTurismo. For me, the Porsche represents the best all-round convertible supercar, but the Maser, a four-seater coupe viewed by some as a half-priced Scaglietti, will pull in Continental GT and CL500 drivers who want this season’s new sector entrant."

But if you want to know what he thinks of the new Audi R8 (retailing at a cool £100,000), you'll have to read the next issue of Real Business magazine or watch this space.

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